Durban - The poor state of public sports and recreational facilities in Msunduzi Municipality has been blamed on inadequate budgeting and lack of proper management.
This is the view of the DA leader in Msunduzi, Ross Strachan, who was commenting in a recent Executive Committee meeting that the decline in sports facilities is a clear indication that the city should consider other arrangements, such as joint management with private enterprises to maintain the facilities.
He was commenting after a report came before the committee requesting approval for funding for the Alexandra Park Sports Tourism Pilot Project.
The report sought funding to be availed to the Community Services business unit in order to upgrade the Alexandra Park sporting precinct into a multi-sports code facility. The proposal said that such an upgrade of the facility will see the venue appealing to a wider range of users.
Strachan said that as a youngster he enjoyed participating in various sports codes and could play in different stadiums which were properly maintained, but this was no longer the case.
“The municipality has abandoned these facilities and they have become security risks. Our pools across the city in every community have been neglected to a point that in some cases they have caused human casualties,” said Strachan.
He added that if the facilities were leased out to management companies that have a passion for rebuilding them, they would attract communities to use them, be the pride of the city and bring in much needed revenue.
“It’s a ‘no brainer’ in terms of the current financial situation and lack of tangible capacity we have within the administration. My only concern, as long as the ANC are in charge, is whether this proposal, or its implementation, will be executed in the right direction without political interference,” Strachan said.
EFF Exco member, Siboniso Mbona conceded that the conditions of facilities had declined rapidly over the years, and this was impacting negatively on young people.
“I agree we need to do something in order to save our kids, but outsourcing is not the answer to this.”
According to Mbona, the municipality’s management needs to ensure that staff in the Community Services business unit perform their duties to the best of the their ability.
He warned that privatisation could start small but may lead to many public servants losing their jobs.
Msunduzi deputy mayor Mxolisi Mkhize acknowledged that many facilities were badly maintained. But he cautioned against calls for outsourcing of operations, saying they could impact badly on the city’s future.